A series of Ni-W catalysts supported on SBA-15 with different pore sizes were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method and characterized by N-2 adsorption-desorption and X-ray diffraction. The hydrogenation of heavy oil (distillation temperature: 320-340 degrees C) derived from the direct coal liquefaction process using Shengli coal in the presence of sulfided Ni-W/SBA-15 catalysts with different pore sizes were evaluated at 400 degrees C and initial H-2 pressure of 5.0 MPa. The results showed that the catalyst preparation method and the pore size of the support had a significant influence on the Ni/W crystallite size. hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) and hydrodearomatization (HDA) activities of coal-derived heavy oil. The larger pore could cause the Ni-W/SBA-15 to form larger Ni-W crystallite. The catalysts with largest pore in the range studied displayed highest HDN and HDA activities for upgrading of the coal-derived heavy oil. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.